Letting the Light Shine Through
by The Cold and Careful Lady
Summary: AU- Set after the events of PC, the Pevensie siblings must adjust back to life in England. But after a very close encounter involving Lucy and Susan, the siblings realize that they were sent back to make a difference. It's time to stop pretending. Rated T for brief descriptions of violence
1. Chapter 1

It was a gloomy day in London, the September of 1942. The rain fell upon frigid streets, and clouds hung low in the sky. It was the first of school, for all the children; the beginning of a new year. For most young people, this day would be considered ordinary, though a bit disappointing. After all, who _likes_ to go back to school?

However, for one family, this day was both magical and heartbreaking. For the Pevensie family, this day was the day that they went back. This was the day that they took a stand for the world that they loved and returned to the mundane existence that they formerly resided in. It was the day that they all died a little inside.

The four children, or really, we must call them young adults now, for that is what they truly are, were going to school when they were whisked off to Narnia, where the four were Kings and Queens. They saved their home once more, set a King onto his throne, and then were sent back. They were given no time to grieve at all. Instead, they had to get onto the train, and head to their boarding schools; Saint Finbar's for the girls, and Hendon House across the road for the boys. The four siblings were crushed.

Of the four, Peter was the eldest. He was sixteen years old, and known as the Magnificent. He took it the hardest, going from the High King of his land, back to a child. Susan was the oldest girl, and she was a lady. She was fifteen years old, and a great beauty, called the Gentle back home. Edmund, the next one at thirteen (almost fourteen, mind you), was the Just. He had the extraordinary ability to tell if people were lying, merely by examining their facial expressions. Needless to say, he never lost a debate. Lucy, dear sweet Lucy, was the youngest, only eleven, and reduced to a mere girl again. No one took _her_, the Valiant Queen may she remind you, opinions seriously, and that was the hardest part of returning back for her.

These four remarkable young adults had had a country thrust upon them when they were mere children, and they were forced to grow up ridiculously fast. Peter led armies into battle, Susan revitalized the kingdom, Edmund changed the courts, and Lucy made forays in the world of medicine. They grew up once running a country, and now were forced back into this corrupt world to grow up again. It was a move that was needed for all four, and hated by all four.

* * *

Where are the siblings now? It has been four months, after all. To put it simply, they are floating. Peter and Edmund are not able to be as close to their sisters as they would like to be, and are having a hard time with their peers, as they are so much more mature. Lucy struggles to get along with girls her age, and is labeled as stuck-up and snooty. Her only outlet is the horse-back riding lessons that she loves. Susan however, strayed. Her faith in Narnia, in _Aslan,_ was shaken with her return. She began to deny Aslan and Narnia, and joined the shallow, popular girls more often than not, deserting her little sister.

The two girls would get into huge fights about Narnia, with Susan calling Lucy a child, and Lucy accusing Susan of losing herself. They sometimes wouldn't speak to each other for weeks, which made their shared dorm room a frigid place.

Lucy enjoyed her weekend visits with her brothers; they talked about Narnia and just life in general. It was a stress-reliever for all three. Susan used to join the meetings, but with her social commitments she started dropping them more and more often. By four months into the year, Susan had stopped coming at all after a ridiculous row with Peter. Edmund had made a comment about Narnia, and when Susan had scoffed at him, Peter reprimanded her. Verbal blows were traded, and both siblings had stormed off.

The younger three had come to view Peter as their leader, and almost as a parental figure of sorts. As the High King, Peter had had the final say in everything, and they had been so young when they went to Narnia the first time.

When they came back from the Professor's house that first summer, the children had had a week with their mother before heading off to school, and they were all still grieving then. They had gone from the ages of thirty, twenty-eight, twenty-six, and twenty-four respectively, and were in their children's bodies again. Their own mother didn't even know them anymore.

* * *

One incident stood out in Edmund's memory. It was less than seventy-two hours after they had arrived home, and everything had gone well so far. After fifteen years of running a country on their own, countless wars, and hundreds of diplomatic endeavors; two days of being babied wasn't horrible. By the third day though, the four children were sick of it, especially Lucy. That day, their mother Helen was coming home late from the library where she had taken up a small job while the children were gone, and Lucy, being bored, hunted around the house a bit. Helen came home just as the girl was polishing some knives that had belonged to her grandfather; Edmund was in the sitting room adjoined, aware of what his sister was up to.

"Lucy dear, be careful! Those are very sharp." Helen rushed over and snatched them from her almost ten year old daughter, putting the knives away hurriedly.

"Mum, I can handle it! I know basic knife safety." Lucy set her jaw in a hard line, pursing her lips.

Edmund peeked in the doorway, having overheard the conversation. He snickered. Lucy had her "Queenly-Face" on.

"Lucy! You are nine years old, and those knives are very sharp! Besides, you know those are precious to your father. You have no business messing with those."

"I think I am perfectly capable of polishing a couple of borderline-dull knives mother! It is no big deal." Lucy replied evenly. "I am only trying to make them look nice for father!"

"It is a big deal Lucy! You are _just a child!_"

Edmund stiffened when he heard that; Lucy was either going to blow her top or act like the Queen she was.

Thankfully, Lucy went with the latter. She straightened herself up to her full height, posture perfect, and her chin was raised slightly. Her face morphed into a mask of regal indifference. Lucy gave her mother a cool look.

"I am no child." With that, the Valiant Queen walked calmly out of the room to go seek her sibling's comfort.

"She isn't a child, you know. None of us are." Edmund spoke from the doorway to his mother's shocked figure before going upstairs.

* * *

**A/N: It has come to my attention, after perusing the scores of recent Narnia fics, that there is one that is very similar to what mine is. I believe the title is **_**No More Pretending **_**and I can say that I have not copied off of this story. **_**Letting the Light Shine Through**_** has taken a lot of time to accurately build the plot, and I had not known of the aforementioned similar fiction beforehand. That being stated, after reading some of **_**No More Pretending**_**, some things will sound relatively familiar if you are also reading that fiction, but those will only be minor details. These are two very different stories, though the catalyst that is happening next chapter does bear a slight resemblance to the one in the said other story. **

**Now, on a different note, those of you who have read my other story **_**The Strange Ones**_** may see a similarity between the third ficlet on that story, and the final event in this chapter. This is because that ficlet was taken from the end of this chapter and redone in a way. I have no more notes as of now. **

**Thank you for reading, and good day!**


	2. Chapter 2

Back at Saint Finbar's, Susan was spending her free time getting in some practice at the archery range; it was the only sport she enjoyed. She spotted the auburn hair that belonged to Lucy heading her way out of the corner of her eye, and Susan set the bow down.

"Hello Lu. How did your trail ride go?" Susan was happy; she was always happy at the range for some reason.

"Eventful. Eloise Rockwood fell off her horse again, and Millicent York forgot to watch where she walked, and stepped into a pile of horse excrement. It was very amusing. She sounded awfully like Lady Cassandra of Daelhr."

"That isn't nice Lu. Millicent is a very nice girl. And who on earth is Lady Cassandra of Daelhr?" Susan gave her a sister a look.

"Millicent hates me Su. And how could you not?" Lucy gave Susan an incredulous look. "Lady Cassandra, daughter of Baron Daelhr, one of the ten Barons on the Narnian Royal Council. She was the simpering blond tart who loved to fling herself at Pete and Ed. How can you not remember her?" Susan rolled her eyes.

"Oh, you could have told me that you were talking about that game of yours. Lucy, you really must learn to let that go and grow up. Millicent would make a wonderful friend for you. Plus, she has connections." Susan spoke in a patronizing voice, like she was talking to a four year old whose hand had been caught in the cookie jar.

"I don't want connections, and Narnia isn't a game Susan! It was real. We ruled there for fifteen years. I was the Valiant Queen, Ed and Pete the Just and the Magnificent. Don't you remember? Does the Gentle Queen even believe in Aslan anymore?" Lucy pleaded with all of her might.

Susan had the decency to look downcast. "It hurts to much to remember Lu. I-I just can't do it."

"Oh tosh. We've all mourned Susan. Don't act like your grief has been less than mine, or the boys'. We all lost our home. Don't act superior." Lucy's tone turned harsh; her eyes narrowing to slits. "Now, why don't you dig yourself out of this ridiculous depression, and come to our Saturday meeting in an hour."

"I'm sorry Lu. I just can't. If I lose myself in Narnia again, I'll never get out. I need to go put this equipment up though. I might stop by to see the boys later this afternoon." Susan picked up the bow and quiver. She waved to the young teacher, named Ms. Elkhart, who was watching the Archery range, and went to the other side of the storage shed.

* * *

Lucy watched her sister walk off sadly. She blamed herself a bit for the way Susan had turned out. If she hadn't looked for Spare Oom, or if she had only kept a closer eye on Susan, then maybe she would still have her dear sister. Lucy was ripped out of her thoughts though, by a blood-curdling shriek coming from the shed. Lucy ran over to where she had last seen Susan, and was stopped by what she saw there.

Susan was in backed up to the back of the shed with four men, and she looked like she had been hit. Her lip was bloody, and judging by the hit that was just delivered, she would have a nasty black eye afterwards. Lucy saw Ms. Elkhart coming up on the side of her, and ran to meet the frail-looking teacher of Etiquette.

"Call the constable, please! My sister is being attacked." Lucy asked the woman. Ms. Elkhart nodded and ran off to the main building.

One of the attackers heard the voices outside, and came to investigate. Coming up behind Lucy, he grabbed the slight girl's arm and roughly dragged her to where her sister was.

"Let. Me. Go!" Lucy fought with all of her might, kicking and screaming. The sight of her seemed to awaken a fire in Susan's eyes.

"Now, now dears, you can't fight against us." What looked like the ringleader of the group spoke up. He addressed Susan now. "You have heard what is going to happen to you. Fight me, and it will rain upon your sister twice as badly." His tone was harsh, almost a hiss.

Susan's delicate face turned cold. "You touch my sister once, and I will kill you." Out of the corner of her eye, Susan noticed Ms. Elkhart and the constable arrive. However, there was no other assistance. Being obstinate, a member of the group shook Lucy forcefully. The younger girl whimpered in pain. Susan turned deadly.

"This is your last warning! You touch her again, and I will not hesitate to kill all of you." Susan yelled at the men surrounding her.

_Aslan, give me strength. I don't deserve it, but I need it. _Susan thought fearfully.

Glancing to see if she was going to get any assistance from the nearby adults, Susan was drawn back to the world by a sharp crack. One of the men had slapped Lucy on the cheek, splitting her lip and leaving a vicious red mark. Enraged, Susan flipped up the bow that she had been hiding behind her leg, and let loose an arrow that she snatched from her quiver. The idiots hadn't even thought to disarm her. As her arrow made her mark, the target dropped Lucy, leaving her crumpled on the ground.

Frustrated that one of their men had been severely injured by their intended victim, the other attackers lunged towards Susan. With three rapid shots she took down the rest of the men. As the would-be assailants lay in the dirt, blood pouring from various wounds, Susan dropped her bow to the ground. Kneeling by her little sister, she shot an angry look at the constable and Ms. Elkhart, who were rushing over.

"I apparently didn't need any assistance, no? Leaving a fifteen-year old to protect herself and her eleven-year old sister is exactly what we need from adults in this country. Don't worry, the men are still alive. My sister was just knocked unconscious, most likely because of shock." Susan gave them her most queenly glare as she rubbed the back of the now sitting-up Lucy.

"Because I gave these men two warnings before shooting, and because I received no assistance, I shall not be prosecuted. You will make sure of that. I will be pressing charges against these four men, and if you do not comply with my terms, against the both of you as well." The Gentle Queen raised her baby sister to a standing position, and they walked away. There was a dumbfounded constable and Ms. Elkhart in the Queens' wake.

* * *

**A/N: This would the incident previously discussed in last chapter's end note. Let it be noted that this chapter has been written since around the American Thanksgiving, which I am quite sure was before the aforementioned fiction was published. I have not read more than like the first two chapters of said other fiction, and this story is in no way affiliated with it. I would like to clear that up with the few of you that have sent me messages about it.**

**Thank you.**


	3. Chapter 3

Susan was enraged. Her sister, and herself of course, had been attacked on school grounds.

_No one touches one of my siblings. Except me of course._ Susan thought.

Checking the delicate watch that rested on her thin wrist, the girl saw that it was about time for the weekly meeting with Peter and Edmund. Supporting Lucy, as she didn't wish for her sister to faint again, Susan made her way to the willow that the siblings would sit under.

She was a bit apprehensive though. After that fight that she and Peter had had… Well, the assurance of a warm welcome was not set in stone. The girls sat down on a patch of dry grass, Susan tucking their coats around them. It was early January, and the worst of winter was yet to come.

"Are you alright Lu?" Susan asked hopefully. Lucy hadn't spoken since they had left the constable and Ms. Elkhart.

"I'm fine Susan. Just a bit shaken up. I've faced worse. I just wish I could have helped you." Lucy's voice was dry, and she coughed a bit to clear her throat.

"Helped with what?" Edmund's voice called. When the girls looked at their brothers, both boys were taken aback.

"By the Mane, what happened to you two?" Peter exclaimed, rushing to inspect the conditions of his sisters.

"Lucy and I were attacked not fifteen minutes ago by the Archery Range." Susan said calmly while Edmund inspected Lucy.

"WHAT!" Peter drew some looks with that one. "H-how dare they! Who did it? How did you get away?"

"It was a group of four men." Lucy piped up. "They were stupid enough to attack Susan when she was putting away archery equipment. She didn't kill any of them though."

"You are correct on that point Lucy. You all know how I have a hard time with that. I did injure all four quite severely, and I threatened the constable within an inch of his life. I will be pressing charges, of course, and no detrimental activity shall fall upon my head. Ed, if you would act as my barrister, I would be most appreciative." Susan inclined her head to her witty brother. He was the Just King after all.

"Of course my dear sister. Were the men seriously so idiotic that they neglected to disarm you?" Edmund replied in kind while taking notes from their conversation in a small notebook.

"In a fit of inspiration I hid the thin bow behind my coat when I was approached. I had just put it on, you see, and by the length it covers it. The monitor, Ms. Elkhart, fetched the constable after I assume that Lucy directed her to, but neither of them offered assistance. I also gave the four men two warnings before shooting. I will be safe in court, there is not a doubt in my mind about that."

"Nor in mine sister dear." Edmund agreed.

"To bad the constable didn't get his head out of his arse and assist you. Lucy probably wouldn't have gotten hurt then." Peter commented.

"Peter!" Susan exclaimed, rising to her feet. "Langu-"

"What, Su? Are you saying that you would let our sister get hurt?" Peter interrupted, jumping off the ground to stand face to face with his sister.

"Of course not! I am the Gentle-bloody-Queen of Narnia! I will not let any of my family get hurt. I was both reprimanding you for your use of foul language, and failing to see it from the constable's point of view. He should have helped, but he also must have been terribly shocked to see me beating up four grown me!"

"Language, Susan." Lucy teased.

"So, you've decided to acknowledge Narnia again Su?" Peter crossed his arms over his chest as he looked upon his petite sister.

"Yes, I have. I was being an idiot, and I was broken-hearted about not being able to go back, and all of that stuff. But, Once a King or Queen of Narnia, Always a King or Queen. I have to be Queen Susan the Gentle. You all have seen how messed up I have been these last few months." Susan looked upon the horizon sadly.

"We've noticed. Trust me." Edmund's tone was dry, and it made Lucy giggle.

"Thanks Ed. Thanks a lot." Susan rolled her eyes as Lucy's high laughter slowly infected first Edmund, and then Peter. She succumbed to the giggles a short time afterwards.

* * *

The four of them were a spectacle in itself. Four young adults, rolling around in the dry grass laughing on a crisp afternoon in January. Needless to say, they drew many stares. The siblings, however, could care less. If you had asked any of them, they would tell you that that moment, bringing Susan back into the fold, was the first time that they were truly happy since coming back to England. It was a moment that Lucy would paint from her memory many years later.

After apologies had been made, the four monarchs just sat there, talking. They enjoyed the simplicity of it; it was like old times on the beach by the Cair. They drew happiness just by sitting there and enjoying each other's company. The four of them may only be young adults, Lucy not even twelve yet, but all in all, they were a family.

About an hour later, the bell rang for supper, and the siblings departed. Lucy made to go sit in her corner of the large Dining Hall, all alone. Susan surprised her sister, however, when she left her group of giggling girls, and sat with Lucy.

* * *

Up at the staff table, the teachers could be seen in earnest discussion with each other. Ms. Elkhart was eagerly relaying the news of what had happened down at the Archery Range to the Dance Instructors, a couple by the name of Dearborne. The Science and Mathematics Professors were found discussing the theory of relativity, and how it is applicable to their modern day lives. The History Professor, an elderly man with crazy white hair, was immersed in a book, and was oblivious to the world around him. All in all, it was normal staff table discussion, excepting Ms. Elkhart's latest gossip of course.

Headmistress Martin looked down upon her school with a stern glare. There were the giggly girls, who were going to get married right after graduation, the overly-smart girls, who were too obsessed with their books to do anything else, and there were the athletic girls, though there weren't many sports available to them. Two girls however, stood out from the rest. The Pevensie sisters were an enigma to her. Lucy, the younger one, was like a beam of light. She constantly brought happiness where she went. She also was extremely mature for her age, and if Headmistress Martin thought about it for a while, she could be considered regal

Susan though…well, Headmistress Martin had almost given up on Susan. The intelligent girl had been friends with the group of giggly girls, even though she was better than them. Today though, the older girl had shown some promise. She sat with her sister, for one. She also seemed to carry herself higher, and her manner was gentler than it had been. Susan Pevensie was apparently deadly with a bow as well. Headmistress Martin had had a long chat with the constable earlier that afternoon. He had informed her of Susan Pevensie's demands; that is really what had made the difference apparent to her. It appeared that Susan Pevensie had finally chosen to grow up.

* * *

**AN: Thank you so, so much to all of my reviewers! I have been made a happy author, and the feedback has been wonderful!**


	4. Chapter 4

Edmund was being Edmund at that moment, and Peter was starting to be slightly ticked off by that. His brother had a laid-back personality compared to his own. Well, that is when they were not in the court. If he wasn't defending you, Edmund wasn't the best person to be around at those times. Currently, said younger boy had his feet propped up on _Peter's _bed, and he was reclining in one of the chairs. The two kings were in their shared dorm room, and it was a few hours after dinner. Technically the lights should have been out by now, but really, who ever pays attention to curfew?

"Ed?" Peter looked at his younger brother, his blonde locks falling into his eyes slightly.

"Yeah Pete?" Edmund's attention was diverted from the ridiculous amounts of thinking that he had been doing.

"What plan do you have for this trial? I mean, you always handled courts in Narnia, but here…"

"Thank you Peter. I am quite aware of the fact that I have been reduced to a thirteen year old again." Edmund said dryly. "I have some rough plans in my head. I'll need to get an official statement from Susan and Lucy tomorrow, probably with their Headmistress in attendance for legality. Then I'm going to find out which hospital those men are located at, and I'll try and get a statement from them, maybe some motives. Why they did what they did, you know? The whole point of this is merely to make sure that those men are locked up. I'll also need to have the girls pretty much reenact the event for me; maybe even draw up some maps as well. Those will be very important to show both the judge and the jury. A statement from both the constable that was on site as well as Ms. Elkhart will be necessary; they'll also need to be called in as my witnesses. I am quite confident that if I am allowed the floor, then I will win this case. However, I could just be laughed out of the courtroom." Peter snorted at that thought.

"I need to get the court date from Headmistress Martin tomorrow, as she will have been notified. I will also need to have an impartial person or two for each of the interrogations that I will be giving. That will be very important. I would use you, but as you are still a minor and closely connected, that will not work. Possibly one of the teachers would be willing to moderate."

"You really have mapped this whole thing out in your head, haven't you?" Peter smirked.

"What on earth do you think I was doing?" Edmund quirked an eyebrow at his older brother.

Peter just huffed, and crossed his arms. It was a typical night with Edmund alright.

* * *

The next day, a Sunday as it happened, Edmund decided to start his investigations. First on his agenda was church, and something that happened there would postpone his plans.

Saint Finbar's Chapel opened its doors to the Hendon House boys for Sunday service, and that is where the four siblings congregated that morning. For the first time since the beginning of the term, the small family walked in together. Susan and Lucy arrived moments after the boys, and then were escorted in by their brothers. Making their way to a pew at the front of the church, the four monarchs sat in the order of their thrones; it was the way that they had been accustomed to sit, after all.

The sermon went on, and Edmund soon found himself skimming though his Bible in search for a verse that he had remembered; he thought it might correlate with his sermon notes nicely. Scanning through, a verse caught Edmund's eye. After further inspection though, he realized that it was not one that he had been looking for.

_And one of the elders said to me. "Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered."~Revelation 5:5_

Excitedly, Edmund tapped Peter on the shoulder, and when the older boy turned, Ed shoved his Bible in Peter's lap, pointing to the verse. Peter's eyes widened in recognition, and he quickly passed the Bible to Susan, who had a similar reaction. The line ended with Lucy, who could barely contain a squeal of surprise. She turned to them and started frantically whispering.

"The willow, immediately following. No exceptions."

The other three nodded their consent before turning their attention back to the sermon.

* * *

Immediately following the sermon, the four siblings filed out of the church. Gathering at the willow tree, Lucy made to speak, but Edmund cut her off.

"I found the verse, I will lead this meeting." Edmund fixed his most stoic glare on his sister.

"Touchy, touchy." Lucy muttered.

Ignoring her comment, Edmund addressed his three siblings. "I bring this meeting of the Narnian Royals to session. I, Edmund the Just, have come to a realizati-" Susan had raised her hand. "I recognize Susan the Gentle. _What_ Su?"

"Why are we treating this as a full Narnian council?" Susan queried.

"The meeting was called by a Queen of Narnia, therefore we shall treat this as a full Narnian council meeting." Edmund addressed. "Back to what I was saying. You all have read the verse that I discovered within the Holy Book. It speaks of the Lion. What other Lion can there be than Aslan himself? Aslan sent us back to "discover him in this land". But, I think we all already know _Him_ in this land. He is the same person, but He just takes a different form for Narnia than this world." Edmund spoke assuredly. Lucy put up her hand suddenly, her eyes wide. "I recognize Lucy the Valiant."

"Do you think that Aslan/Christ takes the form of a Lion in Narnia because it is easier for the Talking Animals to comprehend? We all know that Christ came as a baby. He looked like us…or rather, we look like him. Aslan comes as a Lion in Narnia, because the Talking Animals connect with him, because they are like him." Lucy spoke excitedly, her hands gesturing as she explained her theory.

"I think you are a genius Lucy!" Peter exclaimed. "I am assured that that is exactly why Aslan takes on a different form in Narnia."

Susan shared her agreement with this, smiling broadly, while Edmund sulked.

"I give up." He muttered under his breath. "There is no way that I shall be able to run a full council like this."

"Oh!" Susan stood up suddenly. "What if the reason that we were sent back is to almost…bring Narnia here? Think of what we could do! Edmund, you can fix any court that you walk into, and you are an astounding judge! Lucy, drop you into any hospital, and they would be fixing everything. Not to mention that you could be an outstanding theologist if you wrote your theories down. Peter, if you were let loose into any room full of politicians, you could reverse the corruptness of the society! Plus your work with the army is brilliant!"

"And you can charm the pants off of anyone Su! Send you into high society, and who knows what could be fixed! Also, you're not a half-bad planner." Edmund popped into the conversation.

"We could change the world." Peter whispered reverently.

"We can. And we will." Edmund stated. "Starting with Susan pressing charges against those villainous fiends. That will be my debut. After that, we will be sure to get some connections of some sort. I will postpone my interrogation plans for tomorrow after classes. This is going to be interesting."

* * *

**AN: Thanks so much to those who reviewed last chapter. I had horrible writers block, which is why only **_**What Came After**_** has been updated, and this chapter took me so long. **_**The Strange Ones**_** has been giving me a hard time, but I hope to have it up tomorrow. Also, I have posted a new poem called **_**Not Supposed To Happen.**_** It was inspired by recent events. Once you read it, you will probably know what I am referring to. As requested, I created a Peter and Edmund-centric chapter. The next one will probably be Ed-centric as well. Not entirely sure on that though. The theories that are explained here are all my own, and I would be happy to debate/discuss them with anyone. Thanks again to all of my reviewers!**


	5. Chapter 5

As mentioned previously, the next day after classes, Edmund went sleuthing. His first stop was Headmistress Martin's office. His sisters went with him, and were made to wait outside of the office while he began the foremost part of the session. He knocked on the door, and soon was summoned inside.

"Good afternoon Headmistress Martin. I am Edmund Pevensie, the brother of two of your students." Edmund gave the woman a little bow before sitting in one of the three chairs available in the roomy office. He was still dressed in his school uniform, which was basically a navy suit and tie. Needless to say, he was very formal while intruding into this woman's home turf.

"Mr. Pevensie." The woman nodded graciously. "I am familiar with your sisters. What may I help you with?"

"I was wondering if you had a spot of time on your hands. I am the prosecuting officer for my sisters, and I need statements from both Constable Jones and Ms. Elkhart. To reach the utmost of legality, I was hoping to conduct these interviews in your presence. Would this be conducive to your plans for this afternoon?"

"That would be acceptable. I shall send my secretary to fetch Ms. Elkhart. Have you taken care of Constable Jones?"

"I have sent a note to him via my brother Peter. They should be on their way as we speak." Edmund smirked inwardly. He had covered all of his bases, and quite thoroughly he might add.

"Very well." Headmistress Martin rang a silver bell that was resting on her desk, and a petite blond woman walked in.

"Yes Patricia?" She asked.

"Please fetch Rosemary Elkhart. I have need for her." Headmistress Martin addressed. The secretary nodded, and went out through the door that was connected to what Edmund presumed was her office. She then turned back to Edmund. "I assume that your sisters are outside my door, and if you would bring them in then we may begin this process as soon as Ms. Elkhart arrives."

Edmund nodded in affirmative, and went outside the office momentarily. He arrived again with Susan and Lucy, the latter of the two looking around the office. Edmund held the chairs out for both his sisters, the eldest first, then the younger, and then the dark-haired boy stood behind Lucy's chair. Ms. Elkhart arrived soon after with the secretary, and the young lady took a seat in the only remaining chair in the room.

"Would you wish to start now, Mr. Pevensie, or would you rather that Constable Jones arrive first?" Headmistress Martin inquired.

"If it is preferable, now would work nicely." Getting affirmative nods from all the women involved, Edmund was handed a legal pad and pen by Lucy, and he turned to face Ms. Elkhart. "Alright, I am just going to ask you some questions, and you need to ask them to the best of your ability, and with the full truth." Ms. Elkhart nodded a bit nervously. "What is your full name and age?"

"Rosemary Millicent Elkhart and twenty-four."

Edmund smirked. "Alright. Next question… where were you on the afternoon of, well, Saturday, and what were you doing there."

"I was at the archery range of St. Finbar's School, and I was merely supervising the practicing students. There must be a teacher on duty at all times, and it was my slot to watch the range."

"And what happened that afternoon?"

Rosemary Elkhart quickly summarized the events of that afternoon, as well as what she had been doing during the times that she was not near the Pevensie girls. Headmistress Martin looked deeply affronted by her statement. To have this type of incident happen on the grounds of _her_ school…it was preposterous. Soon, Peter arrived with Constable Jones, and he was asked the same questions as Ms. Elkhart. He collaborated on her story, reaffirming all of the facts, and solidifying the story. Headmistress Patricia Martin then signed a note that she had witnessed the legal statements, and the group filed out.

The Pevensie siblings then walked outside to the Archery Range, where the whole affair took place. Susan and Lucy quickly reenacted the traumatic experience for their brothers, and Edmund and Peter took notes and made maps for display purposes and for the jury.

"So Ed, what else do you have to get done before the trial date on Saturday?" Peter asked.

"Not much else. Just statements from the girls, which will be very easy, and compile my evidence. Possibly I will get a report from the school nurse, just to have it on file. I've decided against visiting the men that I am prosecuting. Better to throw them off guard in court, than to give them time to prepare themselves beforehand."

"You can be very ruthless, you know, Edmund." Lucy commented.

"Yes, I am aware Lu." Edmund rolled his eyes. "But it is part of being a judge. I have to be ruthless sometimes, so that the truth may come out. Now, I must go. I have a trial to prepare for!" With that, Edmund Pevensie gathered up the maps and notes, and headed to his dorm, where he formulated a plan to trump all plans that had come before it.

* * *

**AN: I am so sorry for the wait, you guys! I have rewritten this chapter multiple times, and I have finally just finished it. I hope it meets up with the expectations. Expect the trial to come next chapter. It has taken a while to get to this point, but it was needed to show off the personalities of the Pevensie children. **

**Until next chapter,**

**Abigail**


	6. Chapter 6

It was the day of the trial, and Edmund was prepared. He had charts, maps, and the legal statements of the two witnesses, even though they were to be placed upon the stand that day as well. The girls had their statements prepared, and Edmund had also passed Cambridge's bar examination, which allowed him, for all intents and purposes, to become a fully qualified lawyer. This was necessary so as to sidestep any jabs that were fired at him in the courtroom. Well, and the perk of extra pocket money for whenever he received cases wouldn't hurt.

Gathering his items, Edmund went down to the foyer of Hendon House where he awaited the car that was to take him and his siblings to the court. Not five minutes later the car showed up, girls in tow, where he and Peter piled in, dragging the papers necessary for the case with them.

Susan appeared slightly nervous; the fingertips of her right hand were dancing across the top of her knee, which was bouncing slightly. Her other hand would reach down every so often and smooth her dress or hair. Lucy was substantially less anxious, and she was absorbed in a book the entire ride there. Peter was simply reading through files, as was Edmund when he was not people watching.

The car soon arrived at the grandiose building, and the four siblings piled out, Edmund's license in his hand. They walked to the massive front doors, yet again in the seating of their thrones. Once the four reached the doors, Peter and Edmund grasped an arm of a sister, and escorted the girls inside. Making their way to Courtroom 5, Edmund breathed in the smell of the building. It was somewhat familiar, smelling of ink and paper and people. His courtroom back however, was much more grandiose.

* * *

In Narnia, trials were held in a large room adjacent to the Throne Room. The Four Monarchs had thrones at the head of the room, and this was Edmund's territory. He was the Master of the Courts, the Judge, the Just. He presided over the Court of Narnia, and he was a fair man. When international matters came up, Edmund handled the treaties. He also defended Narnia in suits against other nations, and when the peace talks came up, that was his and Susan's area. Peter was too hot-headed, and Lucy too emotional to handle the international diplomatic affairs. No, that was the middle Pevensies' arena.

Susan was the Peacemaker, the True, the Gentle. She could placate diplomats with a smile, and still arguments with a raised hand. She was a people person, and everyone loved Susan. Susan literally ran Cair Paravel; she made sure everything went where it needed to be, and on time as well. She was a charmer, and even manipulative when need be. She handled the social facet of the kingdom, creating spoken alliances with other nations by simply being friendly with them. Yes, the diplomatic arena definitely fell to the middle siblings.

And that is why this case would be perfect for Susan and Edmund. She knew exactly what needed to be done in this courtroom, and he was the executor of it all. He made the plans, she embellished them, and together they would slide them into place. No, this Pevensie duo was not one to be messed with.

* * *

Finally reaching Courtroom 5, the four siblings went and sat at the prosecutor's table, receiving multiple looks along the way. Peter handed Edmund all of his files, which included multiple copies for both the judge and the jury, and organized them neatly on the table. At exactly 11 o'clock, courtroom proceedings began. Procedures were made, and soon it came time for Edmund to present his opening statement.

"Ladies and Gentleman of the Jury. I come to you prosecuting the men by the names of Marshall, Smith, Jones, and Hancock for charges of violence against two minors, assault, and sexual harassment. I also state that Susan Pevensie was fully innocent in the name of self-defense when it came to her injuring these four men. Thank you."

The defense then gave their statement, which basically said that the men were innocent of their crime and Susan had shot them without warning. Edmund was internally seething, and could not wait to tear these men to shreds.

"The prosecution may call their first witness." The clerk intoned. He was a funny little man, short and twitchy. He reminded Lucy strongly of a rabbit, and she did not hesitate to pass this thought onto Peter, who struggled to contain his chuckles. Needless to say, the two monarchs did not pass this onto their siblings. The last person who disturbed Susan or Edmund while in court was pinched. And Susan pinched _really_ forcefully.

"If I may, Your Honor, I have the legal statements for two of my witnesses, so as to expedite this process. They were given both in front of the other two witnesses, myself, and a third impartial party." Edmund stood, holding the sheaves of paper.

"Proceed." The judge inclined his head.

Edmund nodded graciously and handed one sheaf of paper to the judge, and one to the jury. He then turned to the court. "I call Susan Pevensie to the stand."

Susan was sworn in, and then took her place in the witness box. Edmund asked her to give her statement of what had happened that day at the Archery range, and she gave it in full, down to details of what the men had been wearing that day and in which order she shot them. By the end of her statement, the court knew that a group of young adults had won a case. She however was questioned by both Edmund and the defense, dragging the trial on. Edmund repeated with Lucy, and brought out the maps that she had drawn of the surrounding area. The trump card however, was a sketch that Lucy had done. It was a memory of seeing Susan surrounded by the men, back pressed against the shed wall. She had not even told her siblings that she had done the sketch until the previous evening, saying that she wanted it to be used in the trial. When it was passed around, murmurs broke out in Courtroom 5, and the defense lawyer stood up.

"Your Honor, I wish to modify my opening statement. The men by the names of Marshall, Smith, Jones, and Hancock plead guilty to all charges and state that Susan Pevensie was merited in her defense."

The courtroom then burst out into shouts, with cries of "Order, ORDER!" ringing throughout.

The judge then stood up. "The jury will now go contemplate the verdict."

The jury filed out, and within twenty minutes was back in Courtroom 5. The spokesperson stood up, and gave the verdict. "We declare Marshall, Smith, Jones, and Hancock guilty of all charges and sentenced to two years in prison. We also declare the charges of violence against Susan Pevensie to be deemed as in self-defense and non-life threatening." The judge then hit the gavel, and the court was dismissed.

* * *

**A/N: I realize that the fact that Edmund has taken and passed a bar examination, and procured a full-prosecutor's license in the span of one week is highly unlikely, but there is a reason that this is fanfiction and not a published work. Bear with me people. At least I gave a somewhat-plausible reason for why Edmund is able to defend his sisters in court. You will read that I embellished more upon Susan's role in Narnia. This was due to complaints that Susan seemed to be slighted by Edmund when he said, "And you can charm the pants off anyone Su!" This was said tongue-in-cheek by Edmund, but I did add to her role so that no one would be upset. See, I do listen to my readers! (: I do realize that I have left it at a cliffhanger, but I am already in the midst of writing chapter 7, so you readers will be ok. =)**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Back in Finchley, Helen Pevensie was preparing to go out. She grabbed her coat, her hat, and locked the doors to her modest home as she walked out. She was a sad woman as her husband had been shot on the front lines while her children were in the school the previous term. She didn't have the heart to tell her children that they were now fatherless.

Walking down the street, she made her way to the library where she had taken a part-time position during the time that her children were off in the country. She didn't hear the steps creeping behind her, or feel the barely-there pressure of the barrel, and by the time she heard the sound and felt the pain, it was too late. The pain was fleeting, and everything went to black as she faded away. Helen Pevensie, age forty, the widow of a soldier and mother of four, had been fatally wounded by a German enthusiast, who promptly committed suicide.

The Pevensie children were now orphans.

* * *

After the trial ended, the four Pevensies stayed around to talk with the general public. Edmund was often commended for his performance in the courtroom, as well as Lucy and Susan for their bravery.

Peter just sat back and watched his siblings receive the compliments; it was hard for him sometimes. He was so used to being a King, and now he was reduced to a mere child again. His temper flared often, especially towards authority figures, and he had a difficult time with his tone of voice, which would often become condescending. In result, many of his former friends did not wish to socialize with him anymore. All of the siblings had suffered losses since coming back to England again, especially this time. Peter had lost his power. Edmund lost his ability to rule the courts. Lucy lost her world. Susan lost the most, emotionally, that is. Peter wasn't as dense as his siblings liked to believe he was, and he noticed the blooming romance between his sister and Caspian. The kiss between the two, right before the siblings departed, no less, was fairly obvious in itself. But Peter had picked up on the signs long before that moment. He had noticed the long looks, and the subtle touches that lingered to long on the hand or shoulder. No, Peter Pevensie was no idiot.

That is why he tolerated Susan's leaving of Narnia for so long. She had lost so much, and had had no time to mourn it. She needed the time to recover her emotions, but she sadly responded badly. Peter had hoped that in his leaving her alone and not arguing about her disregard for Narnia, that she would come back to them. His plan overlooked the possibility that Susan would tended up turning almost completely away. It didn't help that he snapped one day, when she insulted Edmund and Lucy for speaking about Narnia. They had argued, worse than they ever had before. Of course, arguments had happened at Cair Paravel, and they happened often. But the arguments were always over little things, and they rarely dragged on for days and days. After that argument, Peter and Susan didn't speak for a week, and they were still frosty with each other until the attack.

Peter shook himself out of his thoughts when an officer tapped him on the shoulder.

"May I have a word?" The man asked. Peter nodded, and stepped to the side of the courtroom. "I am Detective Mitchell. Mr. Pevensie, I regret to inform you that as of three hours ago in Finchley, your mother Helen was shot by a German enthusiast. She is gone now, as well as her attacker."

Peter was shocked. "W-what? Has my father been notified? He needs to be here."

"Son, records state that your father was killed in France three months ago." Mitchell placed a comforting hand on the sixteen year-old's shoulder, both men's faces pained.

"No..." Peter whispered, before straightening his back, and lifting his chin. "What must I do for my siblings and I?"

"I assume that you will go to relatives or-"

"That is not satisfactory." Peter interrupted, his face hard. "I will make arrangements. I assume there is a will to be read?" At the detective's tentative nod, Peter sighed. "You may contact me at school. I will have plans down of our arrangements afterwards soon enough."

"But won't you just stay in your parent's home?'

"I severely doubt it. The place shall be filled with too many memories. Now, if you will excuse me Detective, I must notify my siblings." The young man swept away, shoulders held high and face tense.

Grabbing his siblings, Peter excused them delicately from each conversation that they were engaged in and escorted them to the side of the swiftly-clearing courtroom. Detective Mitchell was on the other side of the room, and so did not hear the eldest Pevensies' words, but he saw him sit his sisters down, the older girl raise her hand to her mouth in shock, and the younger one to turn into the youngest boy's…Edmund was his name, shoulder. Peter went and sat down with the other three, and the four siblings sat in a huddle before straightening up, the girls discreetly wiping their eyes. Then, Edmund and Peter escorted their sisters out of the courtroom in the exact way they had walked in. Detective Mitchell had never seen such strength in his life.

* * *

Not a tear was shed by a Pevensie until they returned to their schools, where they broke down in their respective dorms. They refrained from the respective schools' dinner times, though the siblings made an appearance at church the next morning, all dressed in black. Afterwards, they gathered underneath the willow tree where the question of the future was brought up.

"Peter, what are we to do?" Lucy asked, sitting delicately on the ground. "There are many options, true, but which are we to take?"

"I received a transcript of Father's will late last night, and there are places we can go to. Apparently Great-Great-Grandfather Pevensie owned an estate in Wiltshire, and I am considering moving us to there. It was just recently passed to Father after a great-uncle died about six months ago. It would be an ideal location, and we can transform the place into a home."

"That sounds satisfactory." Susan agreed.

"Legal rights?" Edmund asked, the siblings catching on immediately.

"We've got full emancipation for Susan and I, and partial for you and Lu. Aunt Alberta is the one who signed off on it all. At fifteen, you two will receive full rights as well." Peter said directly. "Let us make more plans later. Today we shall just sit and relax."

Edmund nodded in assent, and resumed his silent position on the ground floor. The siblings had loved their parents very much, do not get that wrong. But after ruling for the majority of their lives, the four had become self-sufficient. They did not need their parents anymore, and it showed through their actions. They were acting as royalty would act in this situation, not as newly-made orphans. They were treating this like adults, and that baffled the adults around them. Yes…those Pevensies' were an odd set.

* * *

**A/N- Well, its up people! I said I would write it this weekend, so here you go! Chapter 8 might take a bit longer, but I think I've made up for it by now. This was really a filler chapter, if I am completely honest, but I hope no one hates me with the way I have handled this. Enjoy!**


	8. Chapter 8

It had been a week since the trial, and the Pevensies were ridiculously busy. Mid-year exams had just finished, and all four passed with flying colors. The majority of the siblings' time however, was consumed by plans. They were currently on their way to see the manor, and all fours' thoughts were imbibed with what was to come.

Peter had taken the brunt of the load as he was now the man of the family once more. To him, it was like starting over in Narnia that first time all over again. He had legal forms to fill out, places to visit, and people to meet. Peter was the only one who had seen the manor in Wiltshire before this trip—he had taken a day trip out to the estate the previous weekend—and he was pleased by the place. It had a charm about it, and the surrounding country gave the estate a Narnian air. The manor felt _free_.

Susan and Lucy had had the hard task of planning their mother's funeral, which took an emotional toll on the two girls. They were pulling through; they had lived without their mother for the majority of their life. Grief and loss were not unusual things for the Pevensie siblings. War was frequent in Narnia, and the news of a trusted friend dying in battle was a common occurrence. The sisters simply treated this tragedy as yet another event and so were able to keep composure.

Edmund had a relatively little part to play in the move as he had just taken charge while at the trial. The girls would take care of the home-making part of this venture, Peter would lead all of them through it, and Edmund could take a well-deserved break. He hadn't conducted court like that for a few years and considered himself a bit sloppy. Yes, Edmund let the men off easy in that courtroom. He could have done much, much, more damage. It was just his kind and _loving_ heart that let the men off with merely a few years.

* * *

The government car that carried the siblings soon pulled up to Rosewood Manor, and the four siblings clambered out.

"Well, it isn't the Cair, but I think it'll do." Edmund shrugged, smirking slightly.

"I think it is beautiful." Susan remarked. "It will certainly more than _do._"

"It reminds me of the summer estate near the Stone Table." Lucy commented. "The layout is remarkably similar, as well as the architecture. We coul-"

"We could transform Rosewood into a full Narnia estate. You're brilliant Lu! We remember enough of Pearlcombe to pull it off. Perhaps you could draw some sketches for the interior? We'll need layouts, colors, whatever you can come up with. Susan can handle the decorating. Ed, you spent the most time outside during the time we spent there. Do you think you can recreate it?" Peter was almost giddy with excitement.

The summer manor had been one of his favorite places while they were in Narnia; he loved the Cair to be sure, but it was always bustling with excitement. The other estate, named Pearlcombe, was a place of solitude for the Magnificent. During slow times, or even when he simply needed to get away, the High King would take a weekend to clear his mind. He found that it often helped him solve some difficult problem that had been weighing his mind down. Many a problem had been solved at Pearlcombe Estate.

"I most certainly can recreate the gardens. They were my favorite area of the place after all." Edmund snorted indignantly, obviously teasing Peter.

"Glad to know it." The elder lightly smacked the back of the younger's head as the siblings entered into Rosewood Manor.

* * *

It was an old, dusty, place, and the house needed a lot of work. Potential lay underneath the layers of dust though, and the sharp eyes of the children recognized it. The house was mainly done in the dark woods of the day, as was Narnian fashion. Rosewood felt like home already, and they hadn't even moved in yet. The estate was fully furnished, and Susan was pleased to find that it was up-to-date on all modern amenities. It would just need some minor cleaning as well as a few touch-ups, and the place could be moved into. Rosewood was not decorated in full Narnian regalia yet—that would have to come later—but it would do nicely.

"I think we could move in sometime next week." Susan finished assessing the house. "What are we going to do about school, though?"

"Wonderful. Next week will be great. And I've already worked out school with Hendon and Finbar's. They will be sending tutors out once a week to give us assignments and grades. We will essentially be homeschooled for the remainder of the years so as to fulfill all social engagements that we will have. And you know that we will have them." Peter addressed his three siblings firmly.

"That sounds acceptable." Edmund nodded his assent. "As much as I dread school on occasion, we will need to keep up with our studies. No one will respect four children who drop out of school to host parties. This will be a way to gain a foothold within society."

"So, we will get this place livable and move in before this time next week?" Lucy stated. The rest nodded in agreement. "Good. Now, let's all spread out and go pick our bedrooms. If there are any changes that need to be made we will need to know now. I'll start working on the sketches after we take tea. We can move in and then start changing Rosewood to Pearlcombe. It won't happen overnight."

The four royals spread out over the estate, looking for rooms that they could claim as their own. Edmund chose one that overlooked the gardens and Lucy's faced the front drive. Susan's room that looked to the east, and Peter found his room. It overlooked a lake, and the view was similar to the one at Pearlcombe. The room felt comfortable to Peter. It reminded him of home.

* * *

After the adventures of exploring Rosewood's interior, the Pevensies turned to the grounds. The estate was large and airy, with an outdoorsy feel. Rosewood was situated a few kilometers outside of Bradford-upon-Avon, which was a lovely historic town.

Edmund had plans for the estate grounds; the Pearlcombe grounds were his favorite place, and Rosewood would soon become the place of solitude for him if it was the last thing that he did. After touring the vast estate the thirteen year old had vast plans in mind for the old place. It was a similar situation with both Lucy and Susan as well; they had plans—in Lucy's case, basic sketches—and they just wanted to get to work. But transforming Rosewood would take time, and time was something that the four siblings did not necessarily have at the moment.

The girls had stuff to purchase and they had to coordinate the move and Edmund had a few minor things to clear up after the trial. That left, once again, the bulk of the paperwork and negotiations to Peter. He had meetings with tutors, meetings with the Headmasters of St. Finbar's and Hendon House, meetings with bankers and lawyers… It would require a lot of diplomacy to get through the next couple of weeks.

_'It's not so different from Narnia after all.' _Peter thought. _'I still have loads of work to do, too many people to meet with, and an astounding amount of paperwork. I'm just denied my crown, my castle, and my country.' _The young man sighed, running a hand through his blonde hair. _ 'It's official. Rosewood will become the closest thing to Narnia, or I might go mad! I just need some rest…'_

But there was to be no rest for the Magnificent for quite some time, as bad things always happen to the best of people, and he and his family had just been hit with a load of it in the previous week. It was time for the Magnificent to clean up other people's messes…once again.

* * *

**AN: Sorry it took so long to get this up! I've been ridiculously busy. I don't really know when Chapter 9 will be up...it depends on when I can grab a few moments to write.**

**Thanks for reading!**

**By the Lion's Mane,**

**Inky**


	9. Chapter 9

"I apologize Mrs. Wright, but we must appoint someone else for the position. Thank you for your time, and you may show yourself out." Once the matron's footsteps had receded, the young King laid his head in his hands.

"How on earth am I to find a decent housekeeper at this rate. They all just want to be nursemaids!" Peter said to the room at large.

He was at the mostly-finished Rosewood Manor in his personal office. The manor had come along well; the first things to be renovated were the bedrooms and offices for each of the siblings. The kitchens and bathrooms had to be updated with modern conveniences as well; the Manor had last been in working condition in the twenties, and technology had made great advances since then. Edmund had made great progress with the grounds—a team of gardeners were working on restoring them as he went through housekeeper interviews. Susan and Lucy were taking care of the internal renovations, Edmund had the exterior, and Peter had the paperwork.

Hendon House and St. Finbar's were supplying the tutors for the four siblings—all four children were being taught by a six-person team—so that was one load off of the Magnificent's mind. Yet there were maids, cooks, and many more staff to hire. He also had to deal with the finances. The estate in itself was fairly self-sufficent. The revenue that it garnered from the vineyard and horses was enough to cover the upkeep and management of the estate. It would also cover the wages of the staff. The royal four had also won a fair amount from the lawsuit towards Susan and Lucy's attackers, and in the almost two weeks since the trial, Edmund had had clients asking for his representation every day.

So far, his thirteen year old brother had not accepted any clients.

Overall, the Pevensie Four—as the press had dubbed them—were secure financially, and would continue to be so it appeared. Everything was just _very_ busy, and Peter could not seem to find a housekeeper that met his standards.

"Why do they all treat me like I am a child? I'm a King for goodness sake!" Peter exclaimed—yet again to the room.

"Talking to yourself again?" Lucy popped her head around the doorframe. "That is one of the first visible signs of madness, you know." Her lips were curled up into a smirk, and the eleven year old's eyes were dancing with mirth.

"Wonderful!" Peter exclaimed, his head resting on his hands, which were folded across his paperwork. Therefore his voice was somewhat muffled. "I think I am going mad, Lu."

"What a pity. I guess Susan will just be High Queen then. I suppose we should go commission a tiara for her." Lucy skipped into the room and sat in front of her brother's desk.

"Stop teasing, Lu."

"But I am awfully good at teasing. I was very good at teasing back in Narnia. Why should here be any different?"

"I worry for my mind whenever you get older." Peter reached across the desk and tugged her hair slightly, sitting up. "You are going to drive me mad! You were much more subdued in Narnia though."

"In Narnia, I was a Queen. Here, I am still a Queen, but no one knows it. Plus I managed to knick some sweets off of Edmund. Hence the teasing." Lucy grinned wickedly. "Sugar was never something that I was good with."

"Nor wine." Peter commented, raising his eyebrows

Lucy huffed and crossed her arms. "That was one time. Afterwards I stayed away from the elf wine."

"Lucy, you would not stop laughing. Continuously. And I believe you kissed the Prince of Archenland."

"I was eighteen, Peter! I was a child." She shot her older brother a glare. "And Geoffrey was a very nice man. We had already been courting then, _and_ I kissed him in the garden. It is not like it was the Great Hall or anything."

"You had not told Edmund or I that you were courting."

"I told Susan, she approved, and I am a Queen. I can decide for myself. Besides, we wanted to keep it quiet." The young girl slipped on her royal air perfectly.

"Kissing boys in gardens is not quiet." Peter retorted laughingly.

"By the Mane, can't a girl live one thing down?" Lucy threw up her hands exasperatedly, but still smiling. She sighed contentedly. "We had some good times back home, did we not?"

"Yes, we did. They were the best years of my life."

"Me too, Peter. They were mine too." Lucy looked towards the door for a moment before turning back. "Do you think we'll ever go back, Peter? I mean, I know Aslan said that Edmund and I will, but I do not know when that will come and it seems so unfair that Ed and I could, but not you and Susan. It's just…not a very Aslan thing to do."

"I cannot comment on the fairness of the Lion, Lucy. He has his own agenda. But if you and Ed are needed back in Narnia, then you will go. No one other than Aslan can determine when or where that will happen."

Lucy nodded, and stood up. "Thank you, Peter. I needed that. I—well, it has been awfully hard, here. I just want to be back home, and that is not possible, and it hurts. I trust Aslan, but sometimes the doubts wriggle their way into my mind and it becomes hard. Do you understand?"

"I get it, Lucy. Everyone has their doubts, do not worry. Just trust in the Lion. He will show you the way." Peter smiled softly.

"I will do my best." A smile wiggled its way back onto Lucy's face. "But now I must go. Susan ordered the wrong color curtains, and I have to go remedy her error."

"Good luck with that, Lu!" Peter called as she skipped out the door.

He, like Lucy, had found it hard to trust in Aslan on occasion. He just wanted to be _home_ again, and it was not possible. For his mortal brain, it was a hard topic. Whenever Peter found himself in that situation, he just remembered who he was. He remembered that he was The Magnificent, ordained by the Great Lion, one of the Chosen Four. He was the High King of Narnia, and Aslan had picked him for both his good and bad qualities. It was a hard lesson to learn, but Peter was learning it more and more every day. It would be something that all four siblings would learn as the weeks went on.

Yet, Peter had a more impending problem to deal with. He _still_ did not have a housekeeper for Rosewood.

"Back to the résumé stack." He sighed. "Yet again…"

* * *

**AN: So! Here is a bit of character development for Peter and Lucy, two characters that I had been neglecting a bit. I hope you enjoyed it! I've always imagined a different side of Lucy, hence why I developed her in this way here.**

**Now, I have a predicament. I originally had planned to end this story with the train accident, but I am now wondering if I should not take it in a different direction. I have had many people asking about whether or not I will include Dawn Treader in the story, hence where the predicament arises. If I were to do Dawn Treader, I would possibly have all four Pevensies go back, maybe even to stay. My guilty pleasure in this fandom is the Susan/Caspian ship-its the one movie-verse piece that I tend to write-so there might even be a bit of that in the story.**

**Now, please understand, whatever I decide, I will still write it that way. This is my story. But since my readers are so wonderful and you all have given me such fantastic feedback on this story, I figured I would just throw those ideas out for an opinion. If you feel like giving an opinion, send it to me in either a review or PM. =)**

**Thanks so much for reading!**

**Inky**


	10. Chapter 10

After two weeks of searching, Peter had found his housekeeper. Mrs. Madeline Wilson was a matronly woman whose husband was also hired as the head groundskeeper for Rosewood, and she was a very nice lady with experience in her line of work. Yet, she was fraying Susan's nerves to the very end.

The woman had a tendency—alright, a passion—for mothering, and four newly orphaned children would normally be within her forte. She was not dealing with normal children however, and the woman could not seem to wrap her mind around that little fact. She meant well, but she was overbearing.

This was Susan's house. She was the Lady of Rosewood. She handled supper menus and school schedules and cleaning schedules. Already an obsessive list-maker with her homework, Susan now had an estate to run, and she was having the time of her life. Everything had a place once more. She had staff to manage, rooms to decorate, and gardens to upkeep. In other words, she loved it. This was the closest the young girl had been able to get to her homeland since they returned, and she was genuinely happy. She felt like Queen Susan the Gentle once again, and it was marvelous.

That is, until Mrs. Wilson appeared.

Susan, with her delicate lists and organized office, had all of her plans swept away with the matron's arrival, and she felt that she was to be insane if the woman was not dealt with! Mrs. Wilson had taken control of Rosewood, and everything was a mess. Rooms were cleaned wrong, supper was served at the wrong time, and the roses were allowed to grow too far out into the gardens. Worst of all, her desk had been alphabetized.

Susan Pevensie, the woman who was eternally in control, had had her desk—which held all of the necessary paperwork to run Rosewood, as well as plans for a dinner party—reorganized into an alphabetical system, instead of the Narnian one that she was familiar with. Mrs. Wilson had done it herself as she felt that it would be, "more helpful and simpler to use than that convoluted mess you had going on".

* * *

When Susan had first discovered the disaster, she had tried to stay calm. Then, when she discovered that Mrs. Wilson had taken the plans for a dinner party-a party to which many high-ranking people were invited-to modify them, she lost it.

"Mrs. Wilson! I have tried to stay calm here, but this is the last straw. You cannot keep undermining my authority like this! I am the lady of the house. Not you. I make the final decisions. Not you! The only ones who are allowed to overrule my decisions are my siblings, and they would not dare!" Susan tried to explain.

"But my dear, you are so young! You cannot possibly know how to run an effective household. Leave it all to me. Everything will be set right." The placating voice of Madeline Wilson soothed.

Inside, Susan seethed. It may seem petty, but this was getting ridiculous. She did not have a mother from the ages of fourteen to twenty nine, and she ran a country quite well during that time. She had learned how to run a castle at the age of fourteen, and had done a very good job of it. Now, her parents were dead, she was essentially banished from her land, and a neurotic housekeeper was messing everything up. This was a disaster, and it was time for the Gentle Queen to put her foot down.

"Mrs. Wilson. Please stop talking and listen to me for once!" This got the woman to be quiet. Susan breathed in and out deeply. "I run this household. _I do._ Not you. I am in charge of where things go, of when things should be cleaned, which parties will be thrown and when. I am in charge of the supper menus. I know what to do. I can run this estate with an effective hand, but you are undermining my authority and everything is becoming disastrous. Now, you may choose to listen to me as an equal, or you may leave!" Her tone softened slightly. "If we work together, and you listen to what I have to say, then you will realize that I rule with a competent hand. However, until you begin to submit to my authority, Rosewood will continue to fall apart."

"But my dear—" Mrs. Wilson started to speak, but the Gentle Queen cut her off with a sharp look.

"You are a housekeeper. You were hired to assist me in the everyday running of Rosewood Manor. Yet you are acting more like a governess! Please, do _your_ job. I am perfectly capable of handling mine—without your assistance." Susan nodded her head briefly at the older woman, and took a seat at her desk. "Please excuse me. I have an office to reorganize, and a dinner party to plan. Any questions may be directed to me after lunch or through a list. Good day, Mrs. Wilson."

Mrs. Wilson got the obvious hint that she was no longer welcome in the study of Susan Amelia Pevensie, and she swiftly departed.

* * *

Susan sighed deeply, letting out the stress that was pent up inside of her. Everything was going wrong. Rosewood was not Cair Paravel. It was not Pearlcombe. It was simply another estate that her siblings were trying to make into their home, and it was not the same. She yearned for the sweet breeze of Narnia, for the dancing of the nymphs, and the Talking Animals. She wished to be back in her land, to be in a place where she was valued, to be in a place where she was loved. She felt misplaced back in England, like she was betraying her land by trying to copy it.

This would never be Narnia, and it killed her to say it. Exhausted with keeping up the pretense of happiness, Susan Pevensie, aged fifteen, let her grief for her land out. She sat at her desk, a sniveling, weeping, mess, and simply let her heart cry out for the Lion that she was searching so hard to find. She did not know _why_ she was sent back. She did not know why she was not allowed to return. That was all she desired. All she wished for was to return to her motherland, and she was denied. That thought made her heart burst once more, and she wept harder.

Susan wept for her land—her poor, tortured Narnia. She wept for her subjects, for the people who were displaced, and for those who suffered the torment of war. She wept for the casualties and their families. She wept for the ruins of Cair Paravel. She wept for the small chance that she might have had with Caspian. She wept for The Golden Age of Narnia, and the fact that it ended. She wept for the twin Princes Cor and Corin, and the Lady Aravis, and the fact that she was never able to say goodbye to them. She wept for Mr. Tumnus, and the General Orieus. She wept for the fact that she had been the one to suggest that all four of her siblings go hunt the White Stag. As much as it would tear her heart to be away from her family, all four of them knew that Narnia came first. If three went back and one stayed behind, and it was for the better of Narnia, so be it. Better to rip apart a family, than rend a nation in two. Yet that is exactly what happened. They left Narnia, and the nation was invaded. She wept for her foolish years—for the way that she was drawn in easily by Rabadash, and they way she put her and Edmund's lives in danger for him. She wept for the months she spent in England, wasting her time on silly, childish endeavors. But most of all, Susan wept for the Lion. She wept for the way that she had denied him so vehemently. She hated herself for straying away. She was forgiven—the Lion will forgive a truly repentant heart—but she still felt guilty for her actions. She had almost torn her family apart, and it took an attack on her and her sister to snap her out of the pit she had dug. It had taken bodily harm to her baby sister to wake her up, and Susan was disgusted.

* * *

What kind of person allowed herself to go that far? Had she really strayed to that point? Had she really fallen that deeply? What had changed? She loved the Lion with her whole being. She had watched the Lion _die_ on the Stone Table for _her_ and _her_ sins. And yet she—the one who had seen the terror—had denied him so easily. She had fallen without a backward glance. Without a care. She had simply stopped caring.

She had been angry with Aslan. Angry that he would send her away, and not let her return. Angry that he would give that privilege to Lucy and Edmund, but deny it to her and Peter. She had been angry with the Lion, and it had caused her to deny him. She was not proud of herself for it. She had been miserable, those four months that she had denied herself the love and affection that came with being one of Aslan's Chosen Ones. She had let fifteen years' worth of love and trust slip through her fingers, because she was _angry_. Who did that?

She feared the dark side of her. She saw what she could do when mad. She saw that she was manipulative and mean and Susan had come to hate the portions of herself that did not embody the moniker of The Gentle. In the recesses of her mind, Susan felt that she was no better than Jadis, for she had turned—not against the Deep Magic—but against her family and her Lord.

All she wanted was to be the Gentle again. She just wanted to be the Queen that she knew she could be. Susan, in her obsessive over-achieving way, wanted to be the absolute best person that she could be, and that person was Susan the Gentle, Countess of the Southern Lands, Lady of the Horn, Queen of Narnia. She had the potential to be someone absolutely great again, and Susan simply strived to be that woman. She wanted to be the Susan of Narnia once more, even in England, but it was so hard.

* * *

Yet, she would try. She was a resilient woman in her older days, and a stubborn girl. Yes, she would strive to be the woman that Aslan had deigned her to become, because that was who she truly was. That was the piece that she was been missing and yearning for. She was not complete in England, because somewhere along the way, she had lost her Gentleness. Slowly, as she tried to be better, she was gaining it back. It was a long and arduous process to gaain back her Gentleness, but she would do it. And first, she had a wrong to right. Her words were not Gentle in the least, and she had to fix that.

As Susan stood up and made her way to the door in pursuit of Mrs. Wilson, she could have sworn that she had heard a Lion's roar in the distance. And for the first time in England since leaving Narnia, Susan Pevensie truly smiled.

* * *

**AN: I must admit, I was not planning on writing such a Susan-centric chapter, but this one really took off and wrote itself. Susan needed her time to deal with all of her raging emotions, and she finally got that time.**

**I hope you enjoyed this latest chapter, and thanks so much for reading!**

**By the Lion,**

**Inky**


	11. Chapter 11

It was the morning of the first dinner party that was to be hosted at Rosewood, and Edmund was about to go mental. All that had been talked about for the past two weeks were plans for the blasted dinner party, and if he heard one more discussion on whether or not the napkins matched the plates, he was going to explode!

Susan could host a jolly good party—that much was true—and now that she and Mrs. Wilson had combined forces, nothing could go wrong. But when you put two enthusiastic together, things tend to get out of hand. All kinds of people were being invited: nobles, diplomats, politicians, tradesmen, lawyers, doctors, theologists. If they could help the Pevensie's gain a connection in some area, they were invited to the dinner party. After all, that is what parties like these were for—gaining connections. Everything had an ulterior motive behind it, and Susan and Edmund were experts at navigating the waters of diplomacy.

That is not to say that Peter and Lucy were not skilled in the art of being polite for politeness's sake in the least. The Gentle and the Just, however, were simply craftier. They could manipulate with smiles and thinly veiled words, and they were very, very, good at it. That is what diplomats did, and the Pevensies were certainly that. On more than one occasion, had the clever middle siblings stopped wars with their words, and fashioned treaties that were beneficial to Narnia, while making it look like they were not. Yes, Susan and Edmund were good at what they did.

It was a dance, Edmund mused. But instead of with feet and music, it was a dance of words and tongues. It was a clever dance that could make or break a nation depending on what came out of your mouth next, and he and Susan had perfected it. They were the manipulators in the family—the ones who would be just and gentle, but could be ruthless and subjective when the time arose. Narnia came first, to the siblings. And Narnia prospered under their care.

Now, it was not Narnia they were protecting. It was Rosewood, and their family. They were the last of the Pevensies, and the family was not going to sink. If it took a dinner party full of influential people who just wanted to meet "those daring children from the trial", then in the name of the Lion, Edmund was going to do all he could to further the betterment of his family. They weren't going to go down yet. Not while he was still breathing.

* * *

Edmund and Peter traipsed downstairs that evening to find their sisters waiting at the bottom of the stairwell in the main hall. Edmund tugged on his bowtie slightly as they descended—the blasted thing was too tight—and Peter kept straightening his dinner jacket.

"Finally! The guests will be arriving within the next five minutes, and it would not do for one of us to be missing." Susan scolded, gesturing for the brothers to join them.

"How do we look?" Lucy laughed, twirling her dress about her. It was the color of vanilla ice cream, and had a bright pink sash. In other words, it suited Lucy perfectly. Susan was garbed in an emerald green confection that made her look older than her fourteen years, and she looked very regal.

"You both look lovely." Peter smiled, grabbing Lucy into an impromptu foxtrot before spinning her out and away from him.

"Much better than I would in those dresses, at least." Edmund teased.

Susan rolled her eyes and laughed. "Yes, I would certainly hope so. Now come! We must await the guests."

Within minutes flurries of arrivals walked through the front doors of Rosewood Manor, and were greeted by the Pevensie Four. The children made quick work of making introductions and impressing their guests. Lucy instantly charmed everyone; after all, who could resist her bouncy demeanor and happy face? Not to mention the fact that she impressed the adults with her ability to function in an environment such as a dinner party. Not all eleven year olds had the opportunity of running a country for fifteen years, and tended to be not as well behaved in company such as this.

Susan and Peter were more tied down than their siblings when it came to the guests. As official host and hostess, they had certain duties to perform, as well as the obligation to make acquaintances with everyone, and not just talk with certain people. Though Lucy and Edmund still did the same as the older ones and spoke with everyone, they were able to converse with those that they had more in common with more frequently, and were able to forge deeper connections this way. Edmund kept a group of lawyers entertained with discussions of the trial, and Lucy held court with a group of theologists, discussing the broad overarching themes of literature and how Christianity correlated with them.

It was a merry group at the Pevensie's dinner party, and by the end of the night it could be considered a success. The guests went away happy and full, and proclaiming the marvels of "those Pevensie children" to all that they met.

* * *

It was two days after the successful dinner party, and all was quiet around Rosewood. Harmony seemed to have finally been achieved amongst Susan and Mrs. Wilson, and the staff was keeping everything on time and smooth. All four children were in lessons with their various tutors. Yes, even Kings and Queens must still go to school, much to their consternation. After all, one never really _likes_ going to school, even if one does enjoy most subjects.

This school day, however, was soon to be cut short.

"Telephone for Mr. Pevensie." One of the housemaids poked her head inside the room set aside for lessons.

"Can it wait?" Peter's Latin tutor snapped waspishly.

"The caller demanded to speak with Mr. Pevensie, sir."

"I'm coming, I'm coming…" Peter sighed, rising from his seat and heading towards the telephone. He got calls quite frequently, and oftentimes the callers forgot that he was still a child and was stuck in school. Picking up the phone, the voice on the other end made him sigh deeply.

"Aunt Alberta? Yes, this is Peter. How nice it is to talk to you. Yes, yes. WHAT? Yes, I understand. Of course. I understand. Yes, I will have to confer with my siblings on this matter. Yes, I will call you sometime later. Yes. Alright, goodbye." Peter slammed the telephone back down on its stand.

"What's got your knickers in a twist?" Edmund, who it appeared had heard the tail end of the conversation, popped in and caused Peter to jump.

"Call a family meeting, Ed. We've got a lot to discuss."

"What do you mean?"

"That was Aunt Alberta on the phone. And she wants Eustace to stay with us at Rosewood."

* * *

**AN: Alright, I have decided in which way I will continue this story, but you won't get all of the details yet. I will let you know, however, that it will be divided into two parts, and this chapter is the beginning of the end of part one. All else shall be revealed in time.**

**Thanks so, so, much to my readers! Without you guys I would have given up a long time ago!**

**In the Name of the Lion,**

**Lady**


	12. Chapter 12

"What on earth?"

"Eustace? At Rosewood?"

"Why?"

"I thought Aunt Alberta hated us!"

All were reactions by Susan, Edmund, and Lucy to Peter's news of the telephone call. To be honest, their Aunt Alberta certainly _acted_ like she hated them. After all, their mother and father had raised them in a manner much different from Mr. and Mrs. Scrubb's way of parenting, and the Pevensies were often observed to be quite wild by their aunt and uncle.

Peter tried to calm the storm. "Aunt Alberta called, and said that after much contemplation, she and Uncle Harold decided that it would be best for Eustace to spend three weeks with us while they go to some health convention. And apparently our cousin is of delicate health, so we are to treat him with tender care."

"It sounds as if she's already decided that he's coming here, whether we wish it or not." Lucy sighed.

"I told her that we would have to make the decision whether to invite her Dear, Sweet, Eustace to Rosewood or not, but I don't know if we really have a choice in the matter."

"Useless Eustace is more like it." Edmund commented. "He's an awful bore, and whines too much."

"Be nice, Edmund. Eustace is our cousin, and we must respect him and his parents. As horrible as it may be, I think we must accept Eustace here at Rosewood. He is family, after all, and maybe being in our company will do him some good. Think of it as an opportunity to express our Narnian values and ways. We will be welcoming and respectful hosts, and we can learn to get along with our cousin." Susan used her "diplomat" voice. It was calm and soothing, yet stern. That tone meant that she was not to be contradicted, and that was final. It was her Gentle voice.

"Fine." Edmund narrowed his eyes at his elder sister. Turning to Peter he asked, "So, when is our Dear, Sweet, Useless, Cousin Eustace coming to Rosewood?"

"The convention starts next Monday, and goes through Saturday. They wish for Eustace to arrive on Sunday, and then stay with us for two weeks afterwards. Apparently our Aunt and Uncle wish to visit some friends that live nearby, and don't want their _charming_ son with them."

"So we're stuck with him?" Lucy snorted. "Great fun, that will be."

"We will make it nice. Now cheer up! We've got our first guest coming to Rosewood in a few days, and everything will be absolutely perfect! I must go make sure a guest room is prepared properly…" Susan hurried off to go check on whatever matters she might have to attend to happily. Yes, she was happiest when entertaining guests. That the first guest of the Pevensies was to be their more-than-slightly bratty cousin was a moot point.

Oh yes, this was to be an exciting next few weeks.

* * *

When Eustace arrived at Rosewood, Lucy felt a weight drop into the pit of her gut. She had never gotten along with her cousin—then again, no one ever really got along well with Eustace. Susan was the only one that had ever managed to tolerate him, and that was because she had too.

Eustace certainly _looked_ the same as he had a few years back. He was still the scrawny, pasty, little boy with the blonde hair and an eternal sneer on his face. Yes, he certainly was a pleasant character to be around. If only his personality did not get in the way of his social abilities.

"_This_ is Rosewood Manor?" The small boy sneered. "I thought it was much larger."

This was definitely Eustace, Lucy thought. He even sounds the exact same as the last time I saw him.

"We find Rosewood to be plenty large." Susan smiled tightly. "Now, would you please come in? Your bags will be delivered to your room."

"Fine." Eustace shot glares at all four of the Pevensies, before flouncing past them and into Rosewood. At the doors he stopped and called back, "There's a housewarming present in the midst of my bags from Mother. It's just some horrid painting that we all hate. You're welcome." Then he continued back inside.

Edmund looked around at his three siblings. "Can I please just punch him? I would challenge him to a duel, but I really doubt that it would be profitable, since I would just kick his arse."

"Language, Edmund." Susan reprimanded. "And no, you may not challenge him to a duel. Yet."

"Well while you three stood here whining about our horrid cousin, I found the horrid painting from Aunt Alberta." Lucy smirked, carrying a mid-sized rectangle covered in brown paper back to where her siblings where brooding. "Does anyone want to see if this thing is actually as bad as they make it out to be?"

"Oh, why not." Peter rolled his eyes, and took the wrappings off of the painting while Lucy held it. When he saw the art beneath the paper, he was breathless. "Oh. Oh, it's…it's beautiful." It was a painting of a beautiful ship, with purple sails and a golden crest. It sailed upon sparkling blue waves that glittered in the sunlight, and you could almost breathe the sea air, it was so lifelike.

"It looks…" Susan was speechless.

"Narnian." Edmund finished. "That looks like the same style of crest that we used on the _Splendor Hyaline_ on those sails. It is definitely a Narnian style ship."

"It's not a war vessel though. It looks to be later than our age of Narnia, possibly a later variation of some of the techniques that we had implemented. I'd even venture to say that it is post-Telmarine era. Some of the framework appears to be built in a similar to the Telmarine ships."

"So…Narnia has changed, again. It's thousands of years later again. Like last time, all our friends are gone." Lucy let all this out in a small voice.

"We don't know that, Lu." Her older sister soothed, wrapping the younger girl in a hug.

All of the children tried not to think about the fact that everyone they had met in Narnia last time could be dead. That Caspian could have died. He had almost become like another brother to the boys—he certainly was someone that they were good friends with. After coming back from Narnia the first time, the Pevensie boys were never able to really reconnect with their peers. They had grown up. They thought and spoke like men, and they had lived by a code of honor for fifteen years. They had not given up their old lifestyle when coming back to England. When you've lived by something for the majority of your life, it becomes ingrained in your soul. Peter and Edmund had embodied chivalrous behavior while in Narnia—they were knights before they were Kings, and they lived up to the code that they had been taught, even when Orieus was not there to pound it into their heads. The code was not exactly something that boys in England cared about.

So, when going back, the boys had met Caspian. They had had a rocky start to the friendship—Peter had always had a hard time relinquishing control to people he did not know—but after a time the three young men became good friends. Caspian was someone who had been raised by that same code of honor as Peter and Edmund. All three had similar thought processes. He could hold his own in a swordfight against either of the boys, and after picking up some of their tricks, Caspian even beat the best swordsmen in Narnia a few times. The three young men had been thrust together in an impossible situation, and had become all the better for it. They learned to trust and respect each other. But above all, they all received companionship. It is always good to have your friends, and by the time they left Narnia, Caspian was more than a friend to Peter and Edmund. He was another brother.

* * *

The painting of the Narnian ship was hung in the main hall of Rosewood, prominently displayed for all to see. When Eustace first saw where "that horrid painting" had been hung, he sneered and muttered something about horrid taste in art under his breath before trudging to the dining room.

The first few days with Eustace could not have gone slower for the Pevensies. They would take turns keeping him company while the other three worked, and it was a schedule that certainly made everyone miserable. Never had Lucy looked forward to her lessons so much.

But on one day, it was up to both Lucy and Edmund to keep Eustace company, as Susan and Peter had estate business to figure out, and could not keep to the schedule. The three children were walking through the main hall on their way to the dining room, when Lucy stopped suddenly.

"Edmund, wait." She called out, darting back to where the Narnian painting hung. She lifted it off the wall, and examined it closely. Her brother came back to where she was standing, Eustace hot on his heels.

"What is it, Lu?"

"The painting… The waves are moving."

"No they aren't. It is just your imagination, cousin. I knew that you all were a bit crazy—it's because of your upbringing of course—but this really is ridiculous. Paintings cannot move." Eustace's words were clipped and snobbish, delivered in a tone of voice that _really_ just made Edmund want to duel him.

"Can you please just shut up?" Edmund rolled his eyes. All of a sudden, Lucy's short shriek brought back his attention. Water was pouring out of the painting and all over Lucy and the floor. Edmund reached for the painting, placing a hand on the frame.

"This is not real, I am hallucinating." Eustace was in denial. "I simply ate something bad in the food last night. There is no way that this is real."

"Well take a look for yourself!" Edmund yanked Eustace closer to the painting—which was still pouring out seawater. When Eustace's hand touched the frame, all of a sudden the three children disappeared.

The painting was on the floor of the main hall of Rosewood, the seawater was all gone, and Lucy, Edmund, and Eustace were nowhere to be found.

* * *

**AN: Well, there you have it! It is the end of Part 1 of Letting The Light Shine Through, everybody! Thank you so much for coming this far with me. I realize that I changed the way that the painting let the kids into Narnia-at least from the movie-verse perspective-but that would have been an awful lot of seawater to come out of the painting to fill up the room, so I changed it. **

**I will state now that I will not be showing the Dawn Treader part of this story. Part 2 will start when Lucy, Edmund, and Eustace come back from Narnia. I hope to get that first chapter up soon.**

**Thanks so much for reading!**

**-Lady**


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